North Fair Oaks is one of the oldest communities in San Mateo County, with settlement dating to the early 1850s. Much of the area was developed during two boom eras, one following the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and another occurring just before World War II. North Fair Oaks was originally part of a larger area known as Fair Oaks that included much of present-day Atherton, but when Menlo Park and Atherton incorporated in 1923, the area between the two communities that is now North Fair Oaks remained unincorporated. North Fair Oaks is bounded by the cities of Redwood City to the north, west and southwest; Atherton to the east; and Menlo Park to the northeast. Highway 82 (El Camino Real) runs along the southwest boundary of North Fair Oaks. Highway 101 (Bayshore Freeway) runs just along the eastern border and Highway 84 (Woodside Road) runs just northwest of the community.

While Caltrain runs directly through this community and the Southern Pacific Railroad Dumbarton Spur line transects North Fair Oaks, the closest access to rail transit is more than a mile away.

The North Fair Oaks community, approximately 1.2 square miles in size, has a diverse mix of land uses and is comprised of multiple areas of very different character. As of the 2010 census, the unincorporated area of North Fair Oaks has a total population of 14,687. Hispanic of any race represent over 73% of the population, 43% are female and 57% are male.